Secure valet telephone system apparatus and method

• US 20070123276A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen Parker
• Original Assignee: Stephen Parker
• Inventors: Fox, James, Parker, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5108 Secretarial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/60 Semi-automatic systems, i.e. in which the numerical selection of the outgoing line is under the control of an operator

Abstract

The Invention is an apparatus and method of providing a valet telephone service. A dedicated wireless telephone is provided to a subscriber as a benefit of subscription. The dedicated wireless telephone will place calls only to and receive calls only from a service provider central computer. Incoming and outgoing calls to or from subscriber over said dedicated wireless telephone are screened or completed by an operator. Outgoing calls are completed by the operator to private contacts at locations ranked by time of day and day of the week. Incoming calls to subscriber are connected to subscriber at locations ranked by time of day and day of the week. Calls to subscriber outside telephone numbers are forwarded permanently to the central computer and screened by the operator.

Claims

1. A valet telephone system apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a. a dedicated wireless telephone assigned to a subscriber

b. a central computer accessible by an operator, said central computer being configured to receive an outgoing call from said subscriber using said dedicated wireless telephone, said dedicated wireless telephone being adapted to place said outgoing telephone call only to said central computer, said central computer being configured to connect said outgoing telephone call from said dedicated wireless telephone to said operator;

c. a private contact database accessible to said computer, said private contact database comprising a name of a private contact, a private contact location at which said private contact may be reached and a private contact telephone number corresponding to said private contact location, said central computer being configured to allow said operator to connect said subscriber to said private contact at said private contact location as directed by subscriber, said central computer being programmed not to display said private contact telephone number to said operator, whereby said outgoing call by said subscriber using said dedicated wireless telephone may be completed only by said operator.

2. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 1 wherein said private contact location is a one of a plurality of said private contact locations and wherein said private contact telephone number is a one of a plurality of said private contact telephone numbers, each of said plurality of said private contact locations having an associated one of said plurality of said private contact telephone numbers, said plurality of locations at which said private contact may be reached being ranked by a time and a day of a week, whereby said operator may complete said outgoing call by said subscriber to a selected one of said ranked plurality of said locations at which said private contact may be reached.

3. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dedicated wireless telephone is adapted to receive an incoming telephone call only from said central computer, said central computer being configured to receive said incoming call to said subscriber and to connect said operator to said incoming call, said central computer being configured to allow said operator to screen said incoming call and to connect said incoming call to said dedicated wireless telephone, whereby each said incoming call to said dedicated wireless telephone assigned to said subscriber is screened by said operator.

4. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 3 wherein said central computer has a computer telephone number and said subscriber has an outside subscriber telephone number, said outside subscriber telephone number being permanently forwarded to said computer telephone number, whereby all said incoming calls to said subscriber at said outside subscriber telephone number are screened by said operator.

5. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 1 wherein said configuration of said central computer to allow said operator to screen said incoming call and to connect said incoming call to said subscriber comprises:

a computer memory operably associated with said central computer, said computer memory being programmed to store a subscriber database, said subscriber database comprising a plurality of locations at which to reach said subscriber, each of said plurality of locations at which to reach said subscriber having an associated subscriber telephone number, said plurality of said locations at which to reach said subscriber being ranked by said time and said day of said week, said central computer being programmed to display said plurality of said ranked subscriber locations to said operator upon receipt of said incoming call to said subscriber, said central computer being programmed to receive a command from said operator to connect said incoming call to a selected one of said plurality of said ranked locations at which to reach said subscriber, said central computer being programmed to connect said incoming call to said subscriber telephone number associated with said selected one of said plurality of locations, said central computer being programmed not to reveal said associated subscriber telephone number to said operator, whereby upon screening said incoming call said operator may connect said incoming call to said subscriber based on said ranked list of locations at which to reach subscriber.

6. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 5 wherein said incoming call is received from a calling party, said subscriber being a first subscriber, said central computer being programmed to receive and to record a sending telephone number received with said incoming call, said central computer being programmed to receive a name of said calling party from said operator, said central computer being programmed to associate said name of said calling party with said sending telephone number, said central computer being programmed to add said name of said calling party and said associated sending telephone number to said private contact database of said first subscriber, whereby said private contact database of said subscriber is supplemented to include said name of said calling party and said sending telephone number of said calling party, said central computer being programmed to not display said sending telephone number to said operator, whereby for said incoming call said private contact database of said subscriber is supplemented to include said name of said calling party and said associated sending telephone number from which said calling party places said incoming call.

7. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first subscriber is a one of a plurality of subscribers, said private contact database is a one of a plurality of private contact databases, said central computer being programmed to store each other of said plurality of private contact databases in association with a one other of said plurality of subscribers, said central computer being programmed to store said sending telephone number in association with said name of said calling party in said each other of said plurality of private contact databases that also includes said name of said calling party, whereby said private contact database of each other of said plurality of said subscribers that includes said name of said calling party is supplemented to include said sending telephone number from which said calling party places said incoming call.

8. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 5, the apparatus further comprising:

a laptop computer, said laptop computer being configured to receive a data file, said data file comprising said private contact database and said subscriber database, said data file being entered into said laptop by a service provider representative, by said subscriber or by an agent of said subscriber while said laptop is at a location specified by said subscriber, said laptop being configured to save said data file in encrypted form, said laptop computer being configured to transmit said encrypted data file to said central computer over a direct dial wireline connection, said central computer being configured to receive said encrypted data file and to store said data file in encrypted form in said computer memory, said encrypted data file being stored in said laptop in a laptop memory, said laptop computer being configured to allow either transfer of control of said laptop memory to said subscriber or destruction of said laptop memory upon transmission of said encrypted data file to said central computer, whereby creation and transmission of said data file is secure from loss or theft.

9. The valet telephone system apparatus of claim 8, the apparatus further comprising:

an automated data collection system, said central computer being configured to connect said outgoing call from said subscriber to said automated data collection system upon receiving an instruction from said operator, said automated data collection system being configured to apply a speech recognition algorithm to a verbal command from said subscriber to update said subscriber database or said private contact database, said central computer being configured to store said updated private contact database in encrypted form, whereby said subscriber may update said subscriber database or private contact database without disclosing said contact telephone number or said subscriber telephone number to said operator.

10. The secure valet telephone system apparatus of claim 5 wherein said adaptation of said dedicated wireless telephone to receive said incoming telephone call from said central computer comprising:

a. said dedicated wireless telephone having a dedicated wireless telephone number, said central computer being programmed to transmit an identifying information identifying said central computer when said central computer initiates said connection to said dedicated wireless telephone;

b. said dedicated wireless telephone being configured to detect said identifying information, said dedicated wireless telephone being configured to generate an alert to said subscriber of said incoming call only when said dedicated telephone receives said identifying information identifying said central computer.

11. The secure valet telephone system apparatus of claim 10 wherein said central computer is programmed to decrypt said private contact database and to store said private contact database in decrypted form in a temporary memory upon receipt by said central computer of said outgoing call from said subscriber using said dedicated wireless telephone, said central computer being programmed to erase said decrypted form of said private contact database from said temporary memory upon establishment of a connection of said subscriber to said private contact by said central computer as directed by said subscriber, whereby said private contact telephone number is maintained in decrypted form only to place said outgoing call to said private contact.

12. The secure valet telephone system apparatus of claim 11 wherein said central computer is programmed to decrypt and store in said temporary memory of a one of said plurality of subscriber telephone numbers in response to a command by said operator to said central computer to dial said one of said plurality of said subscriber telephone numbers, said central computer being programmed to erase said decrypted subscriber telephone number from said temporary memory upon completion of dialing of said subscriber telephone number by said central computer, whereby said subscriber telephone number is maintained in decrypted form only long enough to connect said incoming call to said subscriber.

13. The secure valet telephone system apparatus of claim 12 wherein said central computer is programmed not to reveal said one of said plurality of said contact telephone numbers or said one of said plurality of said subscriber telephone numbers to any person.

14. The secure valet telephone system apparatus of claim 13 wherein said central computer is configured so that said central computer cannot be connected to an Internet, whereby said one of said plurality of said contact telephone numbers and said one of said plurality of said subscriber telephone numbers are not vulnerable to a hacker.

15. A method of providing a valet telephone service, the method comprising:

a. providing a dedicated wireless telephone to a subscriber, said dedicated wireless telephone being adapted to place an outgoing telephone call only to a central computer and to receive an incoming telephone call only from said central computer;

b. receiving by said central computer of said outgoing telephone call from said dedicated wireless telephone, said central computer being configured to connect said outgoing call only to an operator;

c. answering by said operator of said outgoing call and receiving by said operator of a call completion request by said subscriber;

d. receiving by said central computer of an outgoing call command from said operator, said central computer being configured to dial a destination telephone number of said outgoing call consistent with said command from said operator;

e. connecting said outgoing call by said subscriber to said destination number upon command by said operator;

f. receiving by said central computer of an incoming call to said subscriber, said central computer being configured to connect said incoming call only to said operator;

g. answering said incoming call by said operator and screening said incoming call by said operator;

h. receiving by said central computer of an incoming call command from said operator to connect said incoming call to said dedicated wireless telephone; and

i. connecting said incoming call to said dedicated wireless telephone, whereby each outgoing call from said subscriber using said dedicated wireless telephone is completed by said operator and each incoming call to said subscriber is screened by said operator.

16. A method of providing a valet telephone service, the method comprising:

a. forwarding permanently to a central computer of an incoming telephone call to any of a plurality of outside telephone numbers assigned to said subscriber;

b. receiving by said central computer of said incoming telephone call;

c. directing by said central computer of said incoming telephone call to an operator;

d. screening said incoming call by said operator;

e. displaying by said central computer to said operator of a ranked list of locations at which to locate a subscriber, said ranked list being ranked by a time and a day of a week;

f. identifying by said operator of a top-ranked location at which to reach said subscriber from said ranked list;

g. connecting by said operator of said incoming call to said top-ranked location.

31. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said location information is a MIN information or an ANI information.

17. A method of providing a valet telephone service, the method comprising:

a. traveling by a service provider representative to a location specified by a subscriber;

b. inputting a plurality of contact names and a plurality of contact telephone numbers of said subscriber into a memory of a portable computing device;

c. encrypting said plurality of contact names and contact telephone numbers to form an encrypted data file while said service provider representative is present at said location specified by said subscriber;

d. placing said portable computing device in communication with a central computer using a direct dial wireline telephone connection while said service provider representative is present at said location specified by said subscriber;

e. transmitting by said portable computing device of said encrypted data file to said central computer over said direct dial wireline telephone connection;

f. performing an action while said service provider representative is present at said location specified by said subscriber, said action being selected from a list consisting of transferring ownership and custody of said portable computing device to said subscriber, removing physically said memory of said portable computing device and transferring ownership and custody of said memory to said subscriber, destroying said portable computing device memory, and erasing said portable computing device memory;

g. storing by said central computer of said encrypted data file in encrypted form as a private contact database for said subscriber.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

a. initiating a database update telephone call by said subscriber to said central computer, said central computer being programmed to connect said database update call to an operator;

b. instructing by said operator to said central computer for said central computer to connect said database update telephone call to an automated data collection system;

c. connecting by said central computer of said subscriber to said automated data collection system;

d. applying a speech recognition algorithm by said automated data collection system to a verbal command by said subscriber to update said private contact database;

e. storing in encrypted form by said central computer of said updated private contact database, whereby said subscriber may update said private contact list without disclosing said plurality of said contact telephone numbers to said operator.

19. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising:

a. supplying by a service provider to said subscriber of a dedicated telephone, said dedicated telephone and said central computer being configured so that said dedicated telephone may receive an incoming call only from said central computer;

b. receiving by said central computer of an incoming telephone call to said subscriber;

c. directing by said central computer of said incoming telephone call to said operator;

d. screening said incoming telephone call by said operator;

e. directing by said operator that said central computer initiate a connection of said incoming call to said dedicated telephone of said subscriber, whereby said incoming call to subscriber is screened by said operator to prevent an unauthorized access to said subscriber.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said configuration of said dedicated telephone and said central computer so that said dedicated telephone may receive an incoming call only from said central computer comprising:

a. said dedicated telephone having a dedicated telephone number, said central computer being programmed to transmit an identifying information identifying said central computer when said central computer initiates said connection to said dedicated telephone;

b. said dedicated telephone being configured to detect said identifying information, said dedicated telephone being configured to generate an alert to said subscriber of said incoming call only when said dedicated telephone receives said identifying information identifying said central computer.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said central computer is programmed to decrypt said private contact database and to store said private contact database in decrypted form in a temporary central computer memory upon receipt of an outgoing call by said central computer from said subscriber using said dedicated telephone, said central computer being programmed not to reveal a one of said plurality of contact telephone numbers to said operator, said central computer being programmed to erase said decrypted form of said private contact database from said temporary computer memory upon establishment of a connection of said subscriber to a private contact by said central computer as directed by said subscriber, whereby said private contact database is maintained in decrypted form only long enough to place a call to a private contact.

22. The method of claim 21, the method further comprising:

a. maintaining by said central computer of a subscriber database of a plurality of subscriber locations and a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers at which to reach said subscriber ranked by a time and a day of a week, said subscriber database being stored in encrypted form;

b. decrypting and storing in said central computer temporary memory of a one of said plurality of subscriber telephone numbers in response to a command by said operator to said central computer to dial said one of said plurality of said subscriber telephone numbers;

c. erasing from said temporary memory of said decrypted subscriber telephone number immediately upon completion of dialing of said subscriber telephone number by said central computer, whereby said subscriber database is maintained in decrypted form only long enough to complete said incoming call to said subscriber.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said central computer is programmed not to reveal said one of said plurality of said contact telephone numbers or said one of said plurality of said subscriber telephone numbers to any person other than subscriber.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said central computer is configured so that said central computer cannot be connected to an Internet, whereby said subscriber database and said private contact database are not vulnerable to a hacker.

25. An apparatus for providing a valet telephone service, the apparatus comprising:

a central computer, said central computer being programmed to store a private contact database associated with a subscriber, said private contact database including a name of a contact and a plurality of possible locations at which to reach said contact, each of said plurality of possible locations at which to reach said contact having an associated telephone number, said central computer being programmed to display said plurality of said possible locations to an operator upon receipt by said central computer of an outgoing telephone call from said subscriber, said central computer being programmed to display said plurality of possible locations to said operator in a ranked list, said central computer being programmed to connect said outgoing call by said subscriber to a top-ranked possible location for said contact upon direction by said operator, said central computer being programmed to re-rank said ranked list of said plurality of possible locations based upon receipt by said central computer of an incoming telephone call by said contact to said subscriber within a predetermined period of time prior to a time of said outgoing call by said subscriber to said contact.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said re-ranking of said ranked list of said plurality of possible locations for said contact comprising:

said central computer being programmed to select a one of said plurality of possible locations for said contact as said top-ranked location, said selected one of said plurality of possible locations being selected to be in geographic proximity to a point of origin of said incoming call to said subscriber from said contact.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said central computer is programmed to receive an item of location information during said incoming call from said contact to said central computer, said item of location information specifying said location from which said contact places said incoming call to said central computer.

28. An apparatus for providing a valet telephone service, the apparatus comprising:

a central computer, said central computer being programmed to store a list of a plurality of possible subscriber locations, said central computer being programmed to display said plurality of said possible subscriber locations to an operator in a ranked list, said central computer being programmed to re-rank said ranked list of said plurality of possible subscriber locations based upon receipt by said central computer of a telephone call by said subscriber within a predetermined period of time prior to a time prior to receipt of said incoming call to said subscriber.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said central computer is programmed to display a one of said plurality of locations as a top-ranked location to said operator when said central computer displays said ranked list of said locations to said operator, said re-ranking of said ranked list comprising:

said central computer being programmed to select as said top-ranked location a one of said plurality of possible subscriber locations from which said contact placed said telephone call to said central computer within said predetermined period of time.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said central computer is programmed to receive an item of location information during said telephone call from said subscriber to said central computer, said item of location information specifying said location from which said contact places said telephone call to said central computer.